AI Project Business Case
This worksheet turns a single-scenario pitch into a three-year, three-scenario business case: cost and benefit line items for low, base, and high assumptions, laid out so a reviewer can see exactly which assumption drives the result.
Download the CSV, fill one section per scenario (low, base, high) with your cost line items (implementation, annual operating) and benefit line items (gross labor savings) for years 1-3. Use the AI ROI calculator to generate the base-case numbers: carry its "Gross labor savings" line into the benefit rows and enter annual operating cost once, as a cost row, alongside the other costs a calculator alone doesn't capture.
On this page
At a glance
- Three scenarios (low/base/high), not one number — a reviewer can see how sensitive the case is to your least certain assumption.
- Separates cost line items from benefit line items across three years, so the case doesn't quietly hide an ongoing operating cost inside a one-time number.
- Pairs with the AI ROI calculator: use the calculator's "Gross labor savings" line as this worksheet's core benefit line (it is before operating cost, so the cost rows aren't double-counted), then add the costs and benefits the calculator doesn't model.
Who this is for
This is for anyone who has to take an automation project to a budget owner and expects to be asked "what if you're wrong about the automation share?" before they're asked anything else.
It assumes you already have a specific workflow in mind. If you're still comparing several candidates, start with the AI opportunity inventory and come back here once one is chosen.
What's inside
One row per line item, tagged by scenario and category:
| Scenario | Category | Line Item | Year 1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| EXAMPLE (base) | Cost | Implementation | $45,000 |
| EXAMPLE (base) | Benefit | Gross labor savings (modeled) | $96,000 |
The example rows show a base scenario plus a low and high variant of the same benefit line, so you can see the format for scenario comparison. Blank rows below are yours to fill with your own cost and benefit line items per scenario.
Download the AI project business case (CSV)Where do the benefit numbers come from?
Carry them over from the AI ROI calculator's low/base/high scenario outputs, or your own estimate — the worksheet doesn't compute them itself.
Do I need all three scenarios?
No, but a single scenario is a much weaker case to defend. Even a rough low/high range around your base case strengthens the review.
Is this an accounting or tax document?
No. It's a planning worksheet for an internal funding conversation, not a substitute for your finance team's own treatment of the cost.
Next step
A business case built on your own assumptions is a strong start to a funding conversation, but it's still a planning document until someone reviews it against your actual operation.
Related: generate the base-case benefit numbers with the AI ROI calculator, or start further back with the AI opportunity inventory if you haven't chosen a workflow yet. If the case is closer to buy than build, compare vendors with the AI vendor evaluation scorecard before finalizing the cost side.